Biography
Dr. Jennifer Phillips has served as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of UNM Medical Group since March 2020. Prior to this role, she was the Medical Director of the UNM Hospital Southeast Heights Clinic for 10 years and the Family Medicine Clinic on Tucker for five years, as well as Co-Medical Director of the UNMMG Center for Reproductive Health. Dr. Phillips is a key physician leader in primary care and an integral member of the Medical Group Clinical Operations leadership team. She has played a critical role in studying, developing, advocating for, and piloting team-based models of care. A Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Dr. Phillips has also excelled in leadership roles as Vice Chair for Clinical Services and Associate Chair. She was elected Chief of Staff at UNM Hospital, serving from 2017 to 2019. Through her leadership and collaborative expertise, Dr. Phillips has helped build a network of primary care clinics that provide both inter-professional education and high-quality clinical care across UNM’s health system. She has also collaborated with healthcare professionals statewide as former Chair of the New Mexico State Primary Care Council and continues to serve as a member.
Personal Statement
I am a lifelong New Mexican and proud 'Lobo for Life', having graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1997 as a Presidential Scholar and from the UNM School of Medicine in 2001. My clinical interests include women’s health and reproduction, pediatrics, chronic disease management, and preventive care. Over the course of my career, I provided obstetric care and attended births for 20 years. Coming from a long line of educators, I am deeply committed to teaching and mentoring those interested in health and medicine. I practice patient-centered care and strive to inspire patients to live healthy, balanced lives—integrating body, mind, spirit, and evidence-based medicine. My current passion is developing leaders through the UNM Medical Leadership Academy, in collaboration with colleagues across the UNM Health System and the Anderson School of Management. I am particularly committed to advancing a health system that addresses upstream drivers of health, promotes diversity, inclusion, belonging, and justice, and works to reduce health disparities across New Mexico.
Areas of Specialty
My body of work is focused on women’s health and reproduction, preventive and primary care and addressing the social determinants of health to improve the health of New Mexico through teaching and clinical service in these areas
Education
Doctor of Medicine - UNM School of Medicine 2001
UNM Family Medicine residency - 2005
MBA candidate at UNM Anderson School of Management
Certifications
Board Certified in Family Medicine
Achievements & Awards
Selected to be Co-Chair of the UNM Hospital and Clinics Board of Trustees 1/2020-1/2021
Member of UNM Hospital and Clinics Board of Trustees 1/2019-12/2020
Elected by NMAFP to be alternate delegate to AAFP 12/2018, participated in American Academy of Family Physicians Congress of Delegates as Alternate Delegate for NMAFP 9/2019
Appointed Physician Leader by Dr. Martha McGrew and Dr. Mike Richards for Operational Improvement Team on Outpatient Access- with Huron consultants 11/2018-11/2020
Nominated as ‘Top Doc of ABQ’ in Albuquerque Magazine 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Elected Chief of Staff UNM Hospitals & Clinics 10/2016 for 1/2017-1/2019 term
Nominated to run for Chief of Staff of UNM Hospital 9/2016
Awarded Greatest Population Health Impact Award for Medical Leadership Academy project ‘Wellness as a Quality Indicator in primary care in UNM Health System’-5/2016
Selected by my chair and academic affairs at UNM SOM to participate in AAMC Mid-career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar- 12/2015
Nominated by my chair and selected to participate in the Medical Leadership Academy- 9/2014- June 2016
Medical Executive Committee- elected by all medical staff- member at large -11/2014-11/2016
The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award -2014
Junior Faculty elected representative to AAMC 11/2013- 2019 (6 year term)
Outstanding UNM Maternal Child Health Family Medicine Attending 2011
Outstanding UNM Maternal Child Health Family Medicine Attending 2009
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Courses Taught
Health of New Mexico block- small group leader and part of original steering group for this course that is the first block of UNM medical school that sets the stage for a medical student's journey to improve the health of New Mexico - taught every summer since 2016.
Research and Scholarship
Phillips, Jennifer K., New Mexico P5 (Physician Pharmacist Patient Payor Partnerships) Summit, American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, published 25 November 2025.
Phillips MD, Jennifer K., Health Resource Utilization and Cost Impact of Integrative Medicine Services for Newly Diagnosed Chronic Pain Patients, Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, published online; 18 November 2024. https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2024.0093
Phillips MD, Jennifer K., Chlamydial and Gonococcal Infections: Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment, American Family Physician, Volume 105, Number 4, April 2022.
Phillips JK, Cockrell SA, Parada AN. Integrative Health for Women. Prim Care. 2018;45(4):719-729. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2018.07.009.
Foreword author and technical editor to Complete Idiot’s Guide to Natural Childbirth, Alpha books, a member of Penguin Group, NY, USA 10/2009.
Foreword author and technical editor for The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine; Volume 1-4, Amaranthe Illuminare, 2nd edition released 1/2012.